It was only a matter of time that Van Life in California would become so expensive we would find new horizons in the majestic Cascades.
The Cascades was calling to us, and there was a job opening for Dad after residency. The Cascades had our heart, mainly because of glorious Mount Shasta, the southern end of the majestic volcanic peaks. We knew didn’t want to be in the rainiest, lush, and prolific depths of the upper Cascades in the Pacific Northwest. Climate wise, Northern-most California and Southern-most Oregon are that happy medium, lots of sun and still Cascades.
So off to the State of Jefferson. We took a van trip to explore Ashland in Southern Oregon, where a good school for the kids was located.
Next to the Magnificent Cascades, Southern Oregon is Serene
First we stopped in Ashland, Oregon, it was super serene, almost going back in time when things felt slow and simple. It is a stark contrast to the frenzied California cities. This just might feel like home already. It was still winter camping, but Southern Oregon winters are fairly mild. So I did not mind at all our 9 days in the van with 4 humans and 3 fuzzy creatures to cuddle.
We stayed at Creekside Campground & RV Park, which I do not recommend. Had I known a clean, nice, county campground with fantastic views of Emigrant Lake and was just down the road, we would have camped at Emigrant Lake Campground. So again, don’t let the glossy website at Creekside Campground fool you (it is grungy and sketchy) go straight down the road to Emigrant Lake Campground which is a clean, well-run county campground. When we stayed at grungy Creekside Campground, the showers were gross, and freezing cold, so we had to get a day-pass to the Ashland YMCA for a hot shower. (No way were we pulling out the Rinse Kit in winter weather). The Ashland YMCA wasn’t much better. Let’s just say we quickly learned that what makes a name for Southern Oregon is its nature, which we can’t wait to explore more.
Amazing Biodiversity of the Rogue Valley
Emigrant Lake is the only water source in the area, aside from the creeks that flow from the sub-alpine zone into the riparian floor of the Rogue Valley. We fell in love with the ponderosa pine trees that were scattered throughout the Siskiyou Mountains. We are excited to check out skiing at Mount Ashland, high up on the Siskiyou Mountains, where you can get an epic view of glorious Mount Shasta.
It is still winter here in the Rogue Valley, and the highest mountains around 7,000 feet are covered in snow. But van winter camping in the Rogue Valley is a whole different ballgame than where we came from up in the Sierras, (two inches versus many, many feet) of snow.
When you standing high elevation in this region, whether no the Siskiyou Mountains or Cascades, you can see the high peaks of the Cascades fading in the distance, almost as if they are a string of pearls tied together by Mother Earth. We can’t wait to move here and see this magic from every angle.
From the Sierras to the Cascades and Back
On this trip we traveled to and from three great west coast towns: Truckee, Ashland, and Mt. Shasta. Really three fantastic places to check out on the West Coast. Truckee, population around 17,000, in the winter is skiing and skiing and skiing. Ashland, population around 20,000, in the winter is hiking and eating downtown. It’s such a mild winter in the Valley, in fact, that we visited early February and it was Ashland’s first snowfall of the year, just a few inches. Mount Shasta, much smaller with a population around 3,000, in the winter is well, not only a mountain of magnificent glory to behold, but the city itself is a mix between the other two.
If I haven’t convinced you yet that Mount Shasta is a must-see in your lifetime, then I’ll let John Muir do the rest:
When I first caught sight of (Mount Shasta) over the braided folds of the Sacramento Valley I was fifty miles away and afoot, alone and weary. Yet all my blood turned to wine, and I have not been weary since.
– John Muir
As we went from the Sierras to the Cascades and back to the Sierras, we braved two winter storms back to back, expected in February. Needless to say, after human and furry family medical issues, the two severe winter storms in Tahoe, we were excited to move, but rest, at the same time.
